Moistening device



Feb. 7, 1933.

T. H. KRUEGER ET AL I MOISTENING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 151929 INVENTORS THEODORE H. KRUEGER ALFRED P. KRUEGEI? Feb. 7, 1933. 'r.H. KRUEGER ET AL MOI STENING DEVICE 1929 2 Sheets-She et 2 Filed March15 INVENTORS THEODORE H. KPUEGER ALFRED R KRU 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Feb. 1, 1933 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEODORE H.KRUEGER AND ALFRED I. KRUEGER, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, AS-

SIGNORS TO BETTER PACKAGES INC., 0]? NEW YORK, N. Y.,'A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK HOISTENING DEVICE Application filed larch 15, 1929. Serial No.347,251.

This invention relates to improvements in moistening devices for gummedtape, of paper or the like, such as is commonly used for securingwrapping paper and coverings 5 upon bundles and packages.

An object of our invention is to provide a device for moistening gummedtape as it is supplied by mechanism for dispensing the tape; of suchconstruction and design that the device can be maintained in efliclentoperative condition independent of the relative quantity of moisteningagentwhich may be present.

In our copending application, Serial No. 40,495, filed June 30, 1925, wehave disclosed an appliance which dispenses a strip or tape consistingof paper having a surface bearing a layer of glue or other adhesive, andcomprismg a cutting element to cause the strlp to be severed to give thelength desired. That appliance includes a moistening device, such as abrush made damp with water; and a wick of absorbent material which ispartly immersed in the water and witha considerable portion thereof incontinuous contact with the brush to keep the latter in a fullymoistened state. The principle of the moistening device of our saidcopending application is embodied in the invention of this applicationand forms the basis hereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a moistening devicecomprising a source of moistening agent and a moistenlng member such asa brush, to apply the moistening agent to the tape, and so related tothe source of the moistening agent that the brush can always be suppliedwith a sufiicient.

quantity of the moistening agent, even though the source thereof and thebrush occupy different and spaced apart positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a moistening devicecomprising a source,

of moistening material, a molstenlng member, such as a brush, and anabsorbent element to transfer the moistening material to the brush, sothat the brush may-be mounted either in proximity to the source; or beseparated from the latter, and still enabled to function as required.

An additional object of the invention here- 'ed to be moistened.

A device which has these characteristics and which actually can be keptin continuous service and made to function perfectly over long periodsof time; and can be mounted upon a tape dispensing machine; will answervery well the'requirements of establishments in which packages andbundles in large quantities must be wrapped for delivery.

The nature and advantages of the invention are more fully set forth inthe following detailed description taken with the drawings, which showseveral forms in which our invention is embodied.

On the drawings Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section of aportion of a tape dispensing apparatus with one form of our dispensingdevice attached thereto.

Figure 2* is a top plan of the part of said tape dispensing mechanism,and moistening device shown at the right of Figure 1, and

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are vertical sections of other forms or embodimentsof our invention.

The tape dispensing apparatus with which a moistening device accordingto this invention is to be employed, is shown in part ure 1,. androtatably supported in the casing 1; so that the tape can be'drawn outand cut oil in suitable lengths when it is needed.

To deliver the tape the dispensing mechanism comprises a feed roll 3which works in cooperation with another feed roll 4, anda cutting blade5 for severing the strip 2. The/moistening member is shown at 6 in theform of abrush; and the moistening agent such as water, is supported'insuitable reser-" within the reservoir and projects upward and out of thesame; the tape being fed with its gummed side lowermost over thebristles of the brush 6, to be moistened throughout.

In the machine shown in Figures '1 and 2, we employ in addition to thebrush 6, an absorbent element or wick 8 with a portion immersed in thewater, and another portion in contact with the brush to transfer thewater from the reservoir to the brush by capillary attraction. Hence,the brush 6 does not have to be either wholly or partly immersed in thewater and need not be mounted in the reservoir 7 at all; it can bedisposed in any suitable positionoutside of the reservoir 7 and stillgive the desired result.

- The tape 2, as it. comes from the casing 1, may be drawn over atransverse bar 9 having a curved edge to engage the tape, and acting tokeep it under tension and to smooth out and remove any creases orwrinkles before it reaches the feed rolls 3 and 4. To keep the tape infirm engagement with this bar 9, a presser is utilized as shown at 10.This presser may be made of a plate or strip of metal doubled and shapedat one end to provide a bearing 11, through which passes a supportingjournal 12. The lower part of the plate 10 is turned downward as at 13and provided with perforated lugs in which is rotatably mounted a guideroll 14. In the corner of the lower bent portion of the easing 10 isdisposed a pad 15 of felt or other suitable material; and the upperportion of the presser carries a'weight 16, which acts to force thepresser down and hold the pad 15 against the tape as it passes over thebar 9. Thus as the tape passes the bar 9, it is both smoothed out andstraightened and the coil therein, due to the curvature of the roll isremoved; so that when the tape comes out of the apparatus, it is alwaysin the form of a straight piece.

After passing the bar 9, the tape enters a guide comprising the lowerplate 17, supported at the top of the casing and having an opening 18,thru which a portion of the circumference of the feed roller 3 pro]ects.The other roller 4, is mounted in a member 19, which is pivoted in ajournal 20; and a spring 21 is wrapped around this journal having oneend engaging the lower sideof member 19, and the other end attached to afixed a shaft 26 having a gear indicated at 27, to-

mesh with the gear 28' on the roller 3 and this gear 28 meshes withanother gear 29 on the roller 4. The shaft 26 and gear 27 may be drivenfrom any suitable source of power. As long as the rod 25 is-not pulleddownward, the feed roll 4 will be raised, and be out of engagement withstrip 2. Hence although, the roller 3 may rotate, the friction thereofagainst the tape 2 will not be sufiicient to move the tape. The teeth onthe gears 28 and 29 may be relatively deep; so that even when the roll 4is raised to some extent, the gears 28 and 29 remain in mesh and thefeed roll 4 turns with the feed roll 3. When, however, the rod 25 ispulled down so as to make both rolls 3 and 4 contact with the tape 2,

the moisabove mentioned. The plate 31 is attached to a plate 32 which ismade fast with a top of the block 30; and one or more screws 33 may beemployed to hold plates 31and 32 in engagement. The block 30 rests atits opposite ends on the sides of the casing 1 and termi-' nates at thecutter 5.

Between the block and cutter is another flattened tubular guide-waycomprising a top 34 which overlaps the block 30 and covers the cutter 5;and a bottom 35 which terminates short of the cutter and may have itsend adjacent to the cutter bent downward to provide with thecorresponding end of the top 34, a widened mouth into which the end ofthe tape 2 can be slipped as it moves past the cutter 5. This cutter hasthe form of a blade, disposed transversely, with an outturned part 36having an opening through which passes a rod 37 with a head thereonabove the part 36. This rod is attached to a transverse lever 38,pivoted at one end on a journal 39 in the casing 1; and connected at anysuitable point with a spring 40, secured to a fixed point within thecasing 1 and normally acting to pull the lever 38 and rod 37 upward. Therod 37 must, of course be fixed to the part 36 of the cutter so thatwhen the rod 37 moves up, the cutter 5 is forced'up to sever the strip.Connected to the free end of the lever 38 is a link 41, which unit-es atits lower extremity with a foot lever which can be depressed to pulldown the cutter 5. An arm 42 is mounted in the casingl on the pivot 43and pivotally connected to the lower end of the rod 25, projects to aposition beneath the lever 38 adjacent the link 41.

In operation, the rod 37 of cutter 5, will be pulled up by the spring 40;and the spring 21 will raise the member 19 as far as it is permitted bythe stop 24, to lift the roller 4 out of contact with the tape 2. Thoughthe shaft 26 and the gear 27 may now rotate and revolve the rolls 3 and4 through the gears 28 and 29 the tape now will not be moved forwardbecause the friction of the lower roll 3 as it runs in contact with thebottom face of the gummed tape is not sufiicient, and furthermore thecutter 5 acts as a stop for the end of the tape. But when, the footpedal at the lower end of the link 41 is depressed, the cutter 5 islowered and the lever 38 engages the arm 40 to pull down on the rod 25.Hence the member 19 is depressed also to make both feed rolls 3 and 4grip the tape and feed it forward past the cutter 5 and into the guideway beyond the cutter, and under the wet bristles of the brush 6. When asuitable length of the tape has been moistened the foot pedal isreleasednwhereupon the spring 40 causes the cutter 5th sever the tape.Simultaneously the lever 38 rises, the arm 42 is no longer held down,the roller 4 is lifted to its first position; and further feedingmovement of the tape stops. The cut-ofi' len h of the tape is thenpulled free of the gui e between the cutter 5 and brush, and it comesout in a long strip; so that it can easily be attached to the package orbundle which is being wrapped. v

The construction and operation of this type of tape dispensing apparatusis fully described in our copendlng application, above mentioned andconstitutes no part of the present invention which is directed to themoistening device.

We attach to the reservoir 7 in Figures 1 and 2 a pair of supportingarms 45 having slots 46. In these slots "are received the extremities ofa bar 47. The ends of this bar may be threaded to carry suitable nutswhich, when tightened, will hold the bar in adjusted position in thearms 46; there being two nuts on each end of the bar 47 with theadjacent arm 45 between them. The bristles of the brush 6 are secured ina socket 48, and the brush has a guard 49, one side of which may beconvex, so that a part of the wick 8 can also lie within this guard.This guard may be in the form of a clamp afiixed to the socket 48 andrigidly to the bar 47. It is open at the two sides to allow the wick 8to be passed through it, and the lower edge of the convex or bulgingside of this guard will rest upon the end of the brush and prevent thebristles from spreading out too much. The wick may be folded intoseveral piles beneath the guard 49 and the ends roject therefrom;passing into the reservoir through suitable openings 50. Preferably thebrush is maintained in slanting position and the front side of the guide49 is a little longer than the opposite or flat side, to keep thetrailing bristles of the brush from being pushed out too far assuccessive pieces of tape are fed along the top of the reservoir orbeneath the brush 6. The lower part 35 of the guide way on the top ofthe reservoir 7 is longer, and the top of this guide way terminates justbeneath the flat or rear part of the guard 49. The bristles of the brushthus pro ect from the guard in light contact with. the lower part 35 oftheguide way and the tape can easily be pushed beneath the brush whenthe feed rollers 3 and 4 act upon it.

The brush 6 and the wick 8 both being capillary mediums, the moisture isfed upward in sufiicient but not excessive amounts to moisten the gum ofthe tape 2 and during periods of non-use no excess moisture is depositedon the lower guide 35. The location of the reservoir 7 below the line ofthe tape 2 makes possible this operation.

This form of moistening device is also set forth and fully disclosedinour copending application above mentioned. It gives excellent serviceover a long period of use.

In Figure 3 we show a reservoir 51 mounted upon a base 52 and within thereservoir is a lever 53 on a knife edge hearing or fulvoir, and in thisreservoir is also an absorbent element or wick 56 which'has the endsimmersed in the water, and which makes contact between its ends with thebrush 6 to keep the bristles moist, even though the water may be belowthe top of the socket-or ferrule 48. The tape passes thru the guidewaycomprising a lower part 57 mounted upon a support 58, which may consistof two uprights at each side of the reservoir 51; and the top of theguideway shown at 59 is also attached to the supports 58. The upper partof 59 of the top 59 in the guide-way and keep the brush in operativeposition as the bristles wear short. The wick 56 will keep the brush wetas long as there is water in the reservoir, even when the level of thewater sinks below the top of the socket 48.

- the brush is held in slightly inclined position In Figure 4 thereservoir 61 is mounted upon the ,base 52, and the socket 48 of thebrush is held fast in a clamp or retaining device 62; which is securedto the bottom of reservoir 61. Above the reservoir is the lower part ofthe uideway 57 supported by posts 58;'and witii in the reservoir is awick 56 which makes contact with the brush 6 as before. The reservoir ispartlyclosed as shown in 65 at the top and the brush projects betweenthe edge of this top 65, and the end of the bottom 57 of the guideway.The top 63 of the guideway terminates in a knife edge so that the tapecan be torn off by means of this knife edge when the required length hasbeen fed past the brush 6. In the operation of this form of theinvention, the tape 2 is preferably grasped by the fingers and pulledhorizontally outward from the end of the guide 57, and the location ofthe top plate-63 of the guide below the top of the brush bristles causesthe tape to bear upon the brush bristles with suflicient pressure tocause proper moisteningthereof.

In Figure 5 we show another embodiment of the invention similar to thatin Figure 4 in all respects, except that the lower part of theguideway57 a adjacent the brush 6 may be slightly inclined upward andbearings 66 are provided to receive a rod 67,- which pivotally mounts inbearings 66 a-plate 68 having a weighted end 69. The weighted end restsupon the end of the brush and insures proper engagement between thebrush and the tape when the tape is fed throughthe guide way. Thisweighted end also takes up wear as the hairs of the brushbeconleshorter, and by initially inclining the same upwardly, the gradualbending of the ends of the brush bristles does not permit the pressureplate 68 to assume a material declination below the ,horizontal so thatthe resistance to the passage of the tape 2 through the moisteningcouple is not greatly increased by wear or bending of the brushbristles.

In the forms shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5,

so that the tape as it passes the brush tends to bend the bristlesslightly away from the guideway. Hence, the tape can always pass thebrush easily and there is no tendency for the tape to fold, astherewould be if the brush 6 offered any obstructions to the passage of thetape over the end thereof.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that ourimprovedmoistening device necessarily includes a brush, which preferablycomprises a bunch of bristles held together by a socket or ferrule 48.In the form shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, the brush is put intothemoistening liquid with the socket 48in lowermost position and thebristles projecting upward. With these forms of our invention, if thewick 56 were omitted,fthe moistening liquid would not be taken up by thebristles unless the liquid were deep enough for its upper level to beabove the socket 48 and in contact with the bristles although it ispossible to construct the ferrule as a capillary tube, the ends of thebrush do not have to be immersed in the water. However, we

- provide the wick 56, and this wick will keep the brush moistened, eventhough the level of the moistening liquid sinks down below the top ofthe socket 48. Thus the device can be used even though a relativelysmall quantity of moistening liquid is present.

. The invention, therefore, necessarily includes no absorbent medium,such as the wick 56, to soak up the moistening liquid from the bottom ofthe tank at points below where the bristles themselves can otherwisetake up the liquid without the wick. The wick transfers the moisteningliquid to the bristles, which apply it to the tape. The important idea,therefore is to carry the liquid to the bristles from levels below thepoint where the bristles themselves could take up the liquid. directly.

. In Figure 1', the ferrule or socket holds the bristles together, butthe brush. is entirely outside of the reservoir 7 and is arranged in adifferent position, with the ferrule or socket above and the bristlespointed outward; The wick 8 raises the moistening liquid up to thebrush, and it is the upper-face of the gummed tape that is treatedinstead of the lower-face as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

While we have described certain arrangements of parts for the sake ofillustration the constructions disclosed may be modified in manyrespects without departing from the spirit of the invention, as the sameis defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is as follows:

1. A moistening device for gummed tape comprising a moistening brush forthe tape, and an absorbent wick having a portion to be immersed in themoistening agent and a portion to make contact with the brush totransfer the mois'tening agent to the latter.

2. A moistening device for gummed tape comprising a brush to engage andmoisten the tape, means for-providing a supply of liquid moisteningagent, and an absorbent wick havmoistening agent,'a brush for the tapeon the exterior of the reservoir, a guard for said brush, and anabsorbent moistening element having a portion immersed in said agent anda portion in contact with the brush beneath the guard to transfer themoistening agent to the brush.

4. A moistening device for gummed tape voir, slotted arms rigid with theends of the reservoir, a rod secured to the brush and adj ustably heldby said slotted arms, and an absorbent moistening element having a artimmersed in said'agent and a part pro ecting out of the reservoir, andin contact with the brush to transfer the moistening agent to thelatter.

5. A moistening device for gummed. tape comprising a reservoir for aliquid moistening agent, a brush exterior to the reservoir, a guard inthe form of a clip receiving the brush, one side ofvsaid guard beingconvex and spaced from the a jacent side of the brush, arms rigidlyattached to the sides of the reservoir and having slots therein, a rodrigid with the brush and its ends secured in thesai slots, a guidewayadjacent to the brush for the passage of the tape, and an absorbentmoistening element having a portion immersed in the moistening agent anda portion in contact with the brush and disposed beneath the convexedside of said guard to transfer said agent to said brush.

6. A moistening device for gummed tape comprising a reservoir forcontaining a molecent t side of said guideway a brush to engage theteninglagent, a guideway for the tape adja- 0 top of the reservoir, aplate on one tape as it passes thru the guideway on the other side ofthe guideway and normally tensioned against said plate, and a moisteningelement in the reservoir having a portion in contact with the brush.

7. A moistening device for gummed tape comprising a reservoir for aliquid moistenmg agent, a guideway above the top of the reservoir, abrush mounted to en ge the tape as it leaves the guideway, a p atereacting -against said brush to tension the brush against the tape and awick in said reservoir having a portion immersed in the moistening agentand a portion in contact with the brush.

8. A moistening device for gummed tape comprising a reservoir for asupply of liquid moistening agent, a brush mounted to enga e the ta aplate on the opposite side of the tape om said brush and a wick for thereservoir in contact with the brush, one end of said guidewa'y having aknife edge to enable the tape to be severed and means to urge the brushagainst the plate.

9. A moistening device for gummed tape comprising a reservoir to containa supply of liquid moistening agent, a brush adapted to spread themoistening agent on the tape and means mounted in position in thereservoir and projecting upward and out of the reservoir to convey themoisture to the brush, a guideway for the tape above the reservoir, saidguideway comprising a plate adaptedt'o rest normally against the end ofthe brush,

ard, and having upward from said reservoir, a horizontal tape guidebelow the" top of the brush bristles whereby when the ta e is drawnhorizontally outward from sai guide it will bear with pressure upon saidbrush bristles, said tape adapted to be dispensed from the device, gum

side up.

11. n a tape moistener of the type described, a container, a brush,brush moistening means projecting upwardly from said container, means totension the brush bristles against the tape and ahorizontal tape guidebelow the top of said brush bristles whereby when the tape is drawnhorizontall outward from said guide it will be moistened gum side 12. Ina gummed tape serving machine, a moistening unit, means to feed the medtape through said moistenin unit rom the rear, and means to sever saidfed tape, said moistening unit comprising a brush on one side ofthe tae, a pressure plate normally contacting wit the brush tips, means togive a yieldin pressure between said plate and S81d'bll1S tips, areservoir for water, and means to convey said moisture upwardly fromsaid reservoir to said brush tips.

13. In a moistening unit for gummed ta serving machines, a reservoir, abrush moistener and a pressure latenormally contacting with the tips ofsaid rush to maintain a constant film of water on said brush tips, meansto normally maintain said brush tips and said pressure plate in contactexcept when tape is being passed therebetween and means to convey themoisture upwardly from said reservoir to said brush whereby the brush isnot excessively moistened. I

14. In a moistening unit for gummed tape serving machines, a reservoir,a brush moistoner and a pressure plate normally contacting with the tipsof said brush to maintain a constant film of water on said brush tips,

means to normally maintain said brush tips and said pressure plate incontact. except when tape is being passed therebetween and capillarymeans to convey the moisture upwardly from said reservoir to said brushwhereby the brush is not excessively moistened.

In testimony whereof we have aiiixed out signatures to thisspecification.

\ THEODORE H. -KRUEGER.

ALFRED P. KRUEGER.

